DOWN CURRENTS -Any with true real-life experience?

[GameChanger]

Reading the latest thread about the witnessed down current fatality in Cozumel, (Tourist lost - Cozumel) I was wondering if anyone here has actually experienced a true DOWN CURRENT incident, and more importantly, how did you survive it? I have experienced "out currents" in Cozumel, but never a true uncontrollable down current.

There are some opinions as to dealing with a down current, especially on a wall. (Swim to blue water, hug & climb the wall, etc). What has actually worked?
What is the "last resort" measure? Inflate BCD/ Ditch weight? (I would not ditch weight & inflating your BCD would require deflating to prevent an uncontrolled ascent).

 

[Jake 10]

would like to know the expertise opinion of a marine biologist physical oceanographer familiar with these waters and the "down current" (if there is one)

 

[tursiops]

would like to know the expertise opinion of a marine biologist familiar with these waters and the "down current" (if there is one)

You are more likely to get a good answer from a physical oceanographer...currents are not the usual knowledge domain for a marine biologist....

Added: Here is a report from a decade ago on Undercurrent.

 

[Jake 10]

You are more likely to get a good answer from a physical oceanographer...currents are not the usual knowledge domain for a marine biologist....

good point, I learned something new today.. "physical oceanographer"...

 

[Wookie]

I was, back in 1996, in Saint Lucia. The account is posted here somewhere.

 

[txdamselfish]

As a toddler diver with just over a year and 70+ dives of experience, I wanted to know mor about this phenomenon as well. After reading the other post I went to you tube to watch videos and get more of understanding what to look out for and what to do in an down current event. I get the jest it’s like a rip current and we swim away to get out and then up?

 

[ColoDale]

I have experienced down currents and mostly at the southern sites.
I have been in only a handful of severe straight down ones in 20+ years in Cozumel. I went to the wall. I don't climb but wait. There are theories about going to the wall or swimming out and away. The thing is, you just don't know how big it is. The worst ones could have taken me down to 200+ fsw in a very short time.
At times I had a fully inflated BCD/wing and kicking up hard I would still go down.
I would not ditch weights tho unless it were a dire emergency. Normally we wait them out.

If you pay attention, you can see them coming as bubbles going up, go up slower or start to hang. The fish and plants will give you a clue also.

 

[Doc]

Recognizing that you are approaching one before you are truly in one is a critical skill.

I’ve “toyed with the tiger” over exits of “blue” holes from fresh water outflows, found in several Bahaman islands.

A well known carnival ride can be had by holding on to a 3/4” cable at Isla Verde (PG Philippines) and surfing an underwater waterfall. Don’t….let….go!

Galapagos- because of the nature of currents circulating around the remnants of the volcano cones, a lot of up & downwelling to be seen.

Notice it before you enter: FLORA swaying, FISH behavior and motion, BUBBLES not going straight up, the DIVER behavior in front if you .

Same fix for any current. Also- if what you’re doing isn’t working, do something else. Do not overreact, be aware of the effects of your efforts.

In aviation, they admonish: fly the plane. Watch your altitude and ascent rate. Same for divers.

 

[tursiops]

Google "scuba downcurrent" and "scuba down draft" and you'll find come conflicting advice; some say inflate and kick up, while others (like DAN) say be very careful about inflating because uncontrolled ascents can be the consequence. Think of the current as a vertical riptide; it is hard to swim against it, but you can maybe swim sideways to get out of it...bearing in mind that it might be wide (along a wall, for example) so the bes swimming direction is away from the wall. My game plan on a wall dive is just to hang onto the wall (using dead things if possible)...and try and move sideways if possible.

 

[GameChanger]

I experienced a rather strong out current in Coz. It was a wall dive and we were just riding the usual current along the wall when we went by a small ravine in the wall that had the out current ripping through it. The regular current moved us sideways past the out current rather quickly, and we were able to get back to the wall in no time. If it had been a strong down current, it could have had more dire consequences.